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My uncle got me into wet shaving by giving me the supplies and a book called gourmet shaving and I love it all now. That's what led me to this site. Then I got to looking around on here and am now going to take up classic penmanship. I am going to buy 3 pens online. I am thinking about Noodlers Ahab, pilot prera, and am undecided on my third. I like very fine lines. I use only .5 sized lead in my mechanical pencils, I use fine ballpoints opposed to gel pens because it's too broad. I chose the Ahab because of it's flex nib. I chose the pilot because of it's fine Japanese nib which is supposedly nice and thin on the ink release. I want a third option, and would like to know if these two are good options too. I'd like to keep it in the 20-40 dollar range. I don't really want to spend much over 100 on these three pens so "entry-level" is my thing right now. Also would like them to be refillable. Don't like the idea of cartridges. And, ink and paper suggestions would be nice too. I know there are probably threads that address all of this but thought I would go on and post about my personal preferences for more personal decision making help. Love the forum, thanks.

Ben
 
Between the Ahab and the Konrad, I've had better success with the Konrad in terms of reliable flow. The Noodler's pens are more semi-flex and take a bit of pressure to use as flex pens. They are good choices provided you know how to tune them to suit your needs.

Pilot Prera is another good pen. Nice compact size. And like most Japanese pens, it writes right out of the box.

For a third pen, if you don't mind vintage, try a Parker 45. Still easy to get and they are smooth, reliable writers. The steel nibbed versions are the way to go in your price range, and they write as well as their gold nibbed brethren.

Good luck with your search! :)
 
I am thinking about Noodlers Ahab, pilot prera, and am undecided on my third. I like very fine lines. I use only .5 sized lead in my mechanical pencils, I use fine ballpoints opposed to gel pens because it's too broad. I chose the Ahab because of it's flex nib.

While the Ahab does indeed have a flex nib, it requires far too much pressure to be suitable for the type of penmanship (Spencerian, Copperplate) which requires a flex nib. Also, I think you will have trouble getting "very fine" lines with an Ahab.

While there are some fixes recommended to improve the flex on the Ahab (there was a fine article on Fountain Pen Network on this subject), even then it is only barely passable, and that is being generous. If you want a flexible nib for Spencerian or Copperplate, your choice is either an expensive vintage flex nib pen or dip pens and nibs. The latter are quite inexpensive..

Okay, as long as I'm offering my opinions (hey, you asked), it seems to me that you are getting the cart before the horse in selecting your pens first before you have settled on a penmanship style (at least you didn't mention what style you are intending to pursue other than "classical"). I would suggest first deciding on a style, then choose the type of pen most appropriate to the style.
 
I just want to put my $.02 in on the selection of either the Ahab or Prera as a pen to start with. While Noodler's pens are certainly pretty and affordable, the quality control is...disturbing, and there's a pretty significant expectation that you the user will tinker with it to make it write right. Not something to recommend to someone first starting out. The Prera is a nice pen but a bit small and slender.

Most of the recommendations for first pens center on the same models over and over for a reason. You're new and you're going to want a pen that works right out of the box. From there, branch out into flex, interesting nibs, etc.

I'd recommend a Lamy Safari/Vista/Al-Star (all pretty much the same pen in different materials) OR a Pilot Metropolitan.

Brian Goulet of Goulet Pens (not affiliated but a great resource) sells ink samplers which can be a nice way to start as well. I believe there are also paper samplers as well.

Enjoy!
 
I just want to put my $.02 in on the selection of either the Ahab or Prera as a pen to start with. While Noodler's pens are certainly pretty and affordable, the quality control is...disturbing, and there's a pretty significant expectation that you the user will tinker with it to make it write right. Not something to recommend to someone first starting out. The Prera is a nice pen but a bit small and slender.

Most of the recommendations for first pens center on the same models over and over for a reason. You're new and you're going to want a pen that works right out of the box. From there, branch out into flex, interesting nibs, etc.

I'd recommend a Lamy Safari/Vista/Al-Star (all pretty much the same pen in different materials) OR a Pilot Metropolitan.

Brian Goulet of Goulet Pens (not affiliated but a great resource) sells ink samplers which can be a nice way to start as well. I believe there are also paper samplers as well.

Enjoy!
+1 to all of this, plus with the Lamy's you can get a wide array of interchangeable nibs, from Extra Fine up to 1.9mm calligraphy nibs, which only run about $10 to $15 apiece. That way you may be able to sample around with various nib sizes without breaking the bank.
 
Too bad you don't like medium nibs. Staples has medium nib Metropolitans on sale for only $10. Order two and you would get free shipping.

+1

Mr5X5 - thanks for the information about the Staples Pilot pen sale as I ordered a few O/L to give as future gifts :thumbup1:

We have a number of them, like the Pilot medium nib very much, the ink delivery system and they are in constant use to check out new ink sample and write notes & letters.

Gene
 
i went with a pilot prera because i noted how a poster said it was a smaller pen, i think i will like smaller ones.

also got a clear lamy safari with an extra fine nib. haven't ordered any ink yet, but like colors that are very dark such as almost black green or red. like what i think noodlers antietam looks like. and black of course.
 
might not choose spencerian then, but am definitely going to find a course to help improve my writing to a more distinguished stature.
 
I have a very wet TWSBI 580 that I love with some Noodlers Baystate Blue that i also really enjoy. Its a medium nib but because its so wet it lays down a pretty thick line but i believe you can get it in a fine or an extra fine. I ordered it off of amazon from twsbi's actual amazon account.
 
Personally, having gone through it myself, I would try a fatter nib. I came from block lettering as a drafter to Palmer Method for my cursive. Having a wider nib forced me to spread my intraletter spacing out which really helped me understand I was forming letters not words. A fatter pen might also be better in reducing finger writing and using more or arm movements.

I say get both and try your lessons with each.


-Xander
 
so i did get an ahab as well. i got it for my mom because she liked the look of the green bay one, and she wanted a new fountain pen since her cross broke. she loves them and always has. i never knew how much she did until i started talking about them. so after receiving the ahab we cleaned it, tuned up the feed a little with an exacto knife, and now it writes like a dream. she really likes the adjustability of it. i thought the thing was going to be some kind of wild beast that would need a good taming from what i had read on it, but it actually wasn't that bad at all to get good results from. i'm no expert but i think it is a great pen. my other two (prera and safari) are also great pens. glad i got them, i can see myself investing more and more in the future in FPs. just another AD, lol but a great one. it's something that makes me enjoy otherwise mundane tasks. something we are good at here at B&B. finding beauty and enjoyment in what others see as chores.
 
I also got an Ahab, a couple years ago when they first came out. I honestly don't like how it writes. But they sure know how to make an eye-grabbing writing instrument! I love the swirls in the way they mix the plastics together, and no 2 pens are exactly alike.
 
I just want to put my $.02 in on the selection of either the Ahab or Prera as a pen to start with. While Noodler's pens are certainly pretty and affordable, the quality control is...disturbing, and there's a pretty significant expectation that you the user will tinker with it to make it write right. Not something to recommend to someone first starting out. The Prera is a nice pen but a bit small and slender.

Most of the recommendations for first pens center on the same models over and over for a reason. You're new and you're going to want a pen that works right out of the box. From there, branch out into flex, interesting nibs, etc.

I'd recommend a Lamy Safari/Vista/Al-Star (all pretty much the same pen in different materials) OR a Pilot Metropolitan.

Brian Goulet of Goulet Pens (not affiliated but a great resource) sells ink samplers which can be a nice way to start as well. I believe there are also paper samplers as well.

Enjoy!

Goulet also has a monthly 'ink drop'. You get 5 samples of ink each month for a low monthly fee. Additionally, they offer you a discount on the inks included in the drop. It's a pretty economical way to sample different inks.
 
I am very happy using my Ahab as a regular writing instrument and for $20 it was a good deal. My problem with it lies with its supposed flex. The flex is just way too stiff for use with any kind of penmanship style requiring a flex nib. But other than that it is a good pen and mine was good right out of the box.
 
I am very happy using my Ahab as a regular writing instrument and for $20 it was a good deal. My problem with it lies with its supposed flex. The flex is just way too stiff for use with any kind of penmanship style requiring a flex nib. But other than that it is a good pen and mine was good right out of the box.

With luck like that, I'd go buy a lottery ticket!
 
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